Following the Ice Road Truckers

I crossed the equator when I went to New Zealand and now have also crossed the Arctic Circle! Above the Arctic Circle, the sun never sets from May 10 to August 2. Of course in the winter from November 18 to January 23 it never rises. 

We took the Fly/Drive Arctic Circle Adventure by Northern Alaska Tour Company. We left Fairbanks at 5 a.m. in a van with Mike our guide and a couple with their grandson. Our destination was Coldfoot, about 60 miles north of the 66 degrees, 33 min line.

Outside of Fairbanks, we picked up the Elliott Highway. Telephone and electric service ended in about 10 miles, except for satellite phone and generators. We stopped first at Joy, AK. One of the neat things about going with a guided tour is that instead of driving by things wondering what they are - or no clue at all - your guide gives you background and explanations. At Joy, I don't remember the exact numbers, but the family who runs the trading post had 5 children of their own, adopted a dozen or so others from all over the world, and fostered another 40 or so kids. When they first moved there, no road had been built! They came up the by river.

At around mile 73, the Elliott Highway turns off to Manley Hot Springs  while we continued straight ahead on the Dalton Highway or "haul road." The Dalton was built to bring materials and supplies to build the Alaska pipeline. We had heard horrible things about the Dalton. Take extra spare tires, etc. The TV show, "Ice Road Truckers," featured drivers along the Dalton last season. Hairy road! However, in summer, we saw RVs all the way to Coldfoot. Many were boondocked along the road, perhaps fishing. There were a few spots that George would hesitate to take our 5th wheel, but for the most part, the road was in much better shape than I expected. The haul trucks were flying down the highway! They have the right-of-way.

It was 4th of July weekend and a fair amount of traffic. I thought we might see lots of wildlife. We did see many arctic hares- they are in an up cycle now - one bull moose and a linx. It all depends on the day and a holiday weekend wasn't the best. Caribou might be seen, as well as bears and other animals.

Ever present was the Alaska pipeline. I was expecting a larger pipe. Mike gave us some background on its building and we later watched a documentary at the Interagency Visitor Center in Coldfoot. It was quite a feat. Where we stopped to get out and look, it was 17' 6" above the ground. About 380 miles of the pipeline are below ground and 420 above ground.

Since the trip started so early, we ate lunch at the Yukon River bridge at 9:30. We brought our own, though you could order a box lunch. Yukon River was one of the pipeline work camps and is now a truck stop. The pipeline is attached to the side of the bridge at this point.

Driving through the tundra told a fascinating story. Most areas get burned about every 100 years. When you look at the spindly black spruce and other trees, you can guess they are at most 100 years old. Their height depends on how far below the surface the permafrost lies. You can have a patch of tiny trees right next to a patch of very tall ones because the permafrost depth is different. We stopped at one spot where the tundra averaged about a foot below the surface. Mike stuck what looked like a giant oven thermometer into the ground. It is registering 28 degrees.

Another interesting fact about the tundra is that it similar to a desert. It only gets a very few inches of precipitation. The permafrost holds moisture in. The surface thaws in the summer and supports life, then refreezes in the winter. The tundra is also nutrient poor. For example, in the Kenai Peninsula area you can find one grizzly per square mile; in the tundra, one bear nears several hundred square miles to get enough food. In places where the permafrost is very close to the surface or on more exposed areas, the plants are tiny. Pictured is a blueberry bush with 3 or 4 berries total. No wonder a bear has to roam!

A few years ago, 11 million acres in Alaska were burned by wildfire. Fires are not put out unless they threaten human property so may burn all summer. Fires started on Saturday so our trip was smokey when we started out in the van and very smokey on the return flight. However, all the burned areas were covered with fireweed. This flower is so named because it is an early colonizer of burned land.

We stopped right at the Arctic Circle marker for photos, a certificate and an arctic dessert to  celebrate. Then we drove another 60 miles to Coldfoot. The company has a camp here with food, fuel and rooms plus stages additional tours out of here. We visited the Interagency Visitor Center. Nice exhibits and a selection of DVDs to watch.

Soon it was time to fly back. Our pilot, Steve, is from Hawaii and was in his second season of flying for this company. Others had flown up rather than driven so there were 7 of us returning. We flew over the edge of the  Brooks Range - gorgeous mountains - hoping to see caribou escaping mosquitoes on a patch of ice, but no luck. We did see 4 forest fires (photo) in the distance. The smoke from those and other fires impaired visibility on the return flight but we still got some incredible views of the mountains and the Yukon River.

Having driven the Dalton, we realize we could have taken our own truck probably safely (other than perhaps a cracked windshield, maybe a flat tire). There is an agency in Fairbanks that rents vehicles just for the trip if you don't want to drive your own. Or, you could  take a tour. For us, the tour was worth the money. We got to concentrate on the scenery instead of dodging frost heaves and potholes and didn't risk our vehicle. We had a knowledgeable person giving us background and stopping at some key places. Flying back gave us a whole different perspective as well. Boondocking above the Yukon River like this 5th wheel could be tempting, though.... Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Photos mostly by George Bruzenak

Comments

[Marsha Ward]

It's neat to read this post, because I watch the TV program "Ice Road Truckers," which is featuring the Dalton haul road this season. Of course, you saw it in summer glory. We see it slick and icy, with hazards such as avalanches and sliding off the road.

Thanks!

[Jaimie Hall Bruzenak]

A lot of people have mentioned that show! I did experience that sort of driving once- returning from working in Skagway. No thanks! And the truckers do not slow down.

In summer it is a gorgeous drive and a neat experience being above the Arctic Circle.

Jaimie

[Alice Zyetz]

Great description and photos. Thank you. I felt like I was there with you.
Alice Z

[Jaimie Hall Bruzenak]

Thanks, Alice. Coming from you, that's high praise!

Jaimie